dx includes powerful built-in recording capabilities through asciinema integration, enabling you to capture terminal sessions and stream them live.
Recording Features
Session Recording
Capture complete terminal sessions with timing and colors
Live Streaming
Stream your terminal sessions in real-time
Auto-Generated Names
Automatic filenames with timestamps and prefixes
Status Badges
Visual indicators for recording and streaming status
Quick Recording
Command Line Recording
Record specific commands directly:
dx build --record # Record the build command
dx deploy --record # Record deployment process
Interactive Session Recording
Start recording with live streaming:
dx --live # Start live streaming session
dx --record # Start recording session
Configuration
Basic Setup
# config.toml
[asciinema]
enabled = true
external = true # Record external commands too
dir = "./recordings" # Output directory
file_prefix = "session" # Filename prefix
quiet = true # Suppress prompts
overwrite = true # Overwrite existing files
Live Streaming Setup
[asciinema]
enabled = true
stream = true # Enable streaming mode
stream_mode = "remote" # or "local"
remote = "your-stream-id"
title = "dx Development Session"
Recording Modes
Internal Recording
Records dx TUI sessions and command output:
- Menu navigation and selections
- Command execution with full output
- File viewing and Markdown rendering
- All keyboard interactions
External Recording
Records external shell commands:
- Editor sessions (vim, nano, etc.)
- Interactive tools and applications
- Shell scripting and debugging
- System administration tasks
Live Streaming
Remote Streaming
Stream to asciinema.org or compatible services:
# Automatic URL detection and browser opening
dx --live
# Live streaming at https://asciinema.org/a/abc123
Local Streaming
Stream to local network or custom servers:
[asciinema]
stream_mode = "local"
local_addr = "127.0.0.1:9000"
Status Indicators
Recording Badge
When recording is active, dx shows a status badge:
- 🔴 ⏺ recording - Session being recorded
- 📡 Streaming (remote) - Live stream active
- 🖥️ Streaming (local) - Local stream active
Visual Feedback
- Blinking red dot for live streams
- Status bar indicators
- Recording duration timers
- File path notifications
File Management
Automatic Naming
dx generates descriptive filenames automatically:
Format: {prefix}-{timestamp}.cast
Example: session-1703123456.cast
Output Directory Structure
recordings/
├── session-1703123456.cast
├── build-1703123789.cast
└── deploy-1703124012.cast
Integration Features
Menu Command Recording
Wrap any menu command with recording:
[[items]]
name = "Recorded Build"
description = "Build with session recording"
cmd = "cargo build --release"
# Automatically recorded when asciinema.external = true
Relaunch Recording
Record dx updates and relaunches:
[asciinema]
on_relaunch = true # Record update cycles
Sharing and Playback
Playback Locally
asciinema play session-1703123456.cast
Upload to asciinema.org
asciinema upload session-1703123456.cast
Embed in Documentation
Generated recordings can be embedded in:
- README files
- Documentation websites
- Training materials
- Bug reports and demos
Advanced Configuration
Environment Variables
dx sets environment variables during recording:
echo $DX_ASCIINEMA # "record" or "stream"
echo $DX_ASC_FILE # Recording file path (record mode)
echo $DX_ASC_MODE # "remote" or "local" (stream mode)
Integration with CI/CD
# GitHub Actions example
- name: Record dx workflow
run: |
dx build --record
dx test --record
dx deploy --record
Use recording for debugging, documentation, and sharing complex workflows with team members.
Be mindful of sensitive information when recording or streaming terminal sessions.
